


French Vanilla

by pickleplum



Series: Owl and Dragon [14]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Brotherly Love, Brothers, Gen, brief mention of a suicide attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-21
Updated: 2014-04-21
Packaged: 2018-01-20 07:25:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1501787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pickleplum/pseuds/pickleplum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You need ice cream."</p>
            </blockquote>





	French Vanilla

**Author's Note:**

> Set right after Chapter 3 of "My Brother."

Bastien’s not too proud to admit he’s scared for his brother. His older brother, his favorite brother, is sick. Not having-the-flu sick, but heartsick. Or maybe headsick. Father’s decision to force Hermann home—because Hermann finally had friends of all the _stupid_ reasons—nearly killed his brother and Bastien doesn’t understand why Father can’t ever let Hermann be happy. It’s as though the man hates him.

The afternoon Hermann returns from school in England, he’s the happiest Bastien has ever seen him. He shows off a photograph of himself and his friends: the redheaded boy, the girl with the wide smile, and the pudgy guy with the laughing eyes. It’s the only picture of Hermann Bastien’s ever seen.

Five days later, Bastien follows Dietrich into Manny’s room when his oldest brother goes in to change Manny’s bandages, relieving Karla, who’s been with him since early morning.

"Hi," Hermann croaks. He's hardly spoken in days and he’s been living on toast, cookies, and juice since Sunday morning. At least he finally has the strength to sit up without feeling dizzy, but he always feels cold. To Bastien he looks even thinner and paler than usual: a ghost where his brother should be.

Bastien’s stomach crawls into his throat when he sees the deep cuts on Hermann’s forearms, which still ooze blood. Hermann doesn’t watch as Dietrich works. He closes his eyelids, raises his chin, and tears creep from the corners of his eyes while his wings jerk and twitch.

"Does it hurt?" Bastien can’t stop himself asking.

"Yes. It stings," he answers quietly.

"You need ice cream," Bastien pipes. "That’ll make you feel better."

"Sure, _Hasi_ ," Hermann says.

Bastien sprints from the room while Dietrich finishes his work. He returns with two heaping bowls of the ice cream Karla purchased for them that morning. "French vanilla," he chirps. "Your favorite."

Hermann shifts over to give the little one more room. They eat quietly for a while.

"Do you feel better now?" Bastien asks.

"A little. The good food is making me sleepy, though." Hermann actually smiles. It’s small and weak, but it’s a smile. "Thank you." He pauses a moment. "Why don’t you get us another serving and a movie we can watch together?"

Bastien lights up and flails off to retrieve the food and entertainment. He returns with smaller servings—Karla refuses to give him larger amounts—and two _Harry Potter_ movies.

They eat and watch in peace until the Sorting scene. Bastien provokes an argument over where the Gottlieb family would go should they be Sorted. Hermann, spotting a familiar pattern, pauses the film so they don’t miss anything while they bicker. Bastien and Karla go easily into Griffindor, as do Dietrich to Hufflepuff and their parents to Slytherin, but, Hermann argues for Ravenclaw, while Bastien insists he’s another Gryffindor. They eventually agree to disagree and watch the rest of the movie, Bastien occasionally shouting encouragement or warnings to the characters.

Halfway through _Chamber of Secrets_ , Karla returns with simple sandwiches and more juice for her younger brothers. They accept the food with quiet thanks. Bastien nearly inhales his, but Hermann eats only a few bites before picking listlessly at the remainder. He pushes it over to Bastien, who immediately begins munching happily.

Hermann still looks tired and pale. The color still hasn’t returned to his cheeks or the light to his eyes. He’s better, but he’s not the same Hermann who’d stepped off the train. The little boy blinks hard.

 _What if he’s never the Manny who left for England and or the one who got off that train again_? _What if this hollowed out Manny is all there is left of him_? _What if_ … _what if he tries to die again_?

"Manny?" he asks in a tiny, shaking voice. "Are you going to kill yourself?" His voice picks up strength and his words gain speed as he continues. "I don’t want you to die. I don’t want you to leave me forever." By the time he finishes, the little boy chokes on sobs and wipes fiercely at his tears.

"I’m not leaving you," Hermann says gently. "I made a mistake the other night and I won’t make it again. I’m here to stay. We’ll help each other, alright?" Bastien nods and buries his tear-streaked face against his brother’s bony chest. Hermann’s soft feathers brush his arms as his brother folds them around them both.

For the first time since he walked into the kitchen on Sunday morning, Bastien thinks everything might be alright.

**Author's Note:**

> The mental image of the two littlest Gottliebs sharing ice cream and watching movies wouldn't leave my head. And, then, of course, I had to add feels.


End file.
